Vertical farming is a method of producing plants in stacked layers. Vertical farming generally utilizes controlled growing environments where factors like light, moisture, temperature, humidity, concentration of gasses, etc. are fastidiously maintained to optimize plant growth. This horticultural technique has the potential to revolutionize the way we produce and consume food by allowing for ultra-high density farming in urban environments.
Unlike traditional agriculture, indoor farming allows for production of crops year-round. All season farming may boost productivity of the farmed space by a factor of four or more depending on the crop being farmed. Not only can vertical farming practices produce more food per square foot, but can also mitigate major problems in agriculture such as spoilage/poor-freshness, shipping (both associated pollution and costs), and contamination.
However, many question the profitability of vertical farming. The costs of lighting, heat, power, etc. may negate any savings resulting from reduced transportation expenses. Furthermore, depending on the type of power used (e.g., coal, nuclear, hydroelectric, etc.), a vertical farm may produce more greenhouse gasses per plant than conventionally grown produce.